Minimally invasive surgical techniques have emerged as an alternative to conventional surgical techniques to perform a plurality of surgical procedures. Minimally invasive procedures differ from conventional surgical procedures in that devices are introduced into the body through a small incision. As a result, trauma to the body is greatly reduced, thereby decreasing the recovery time of the patient.
One challenge presented when performing a minimally invasive technique is to remotely position and apply sutures to an area of interest. In conventional surgical techniques, the surgeon will approximate the tissue pieces by forcing a needle and suture material through various portions of the tissue to be approximated, and tying a knot in the suture material resulting in approximation. In contrast, in minimally invasive surgical techniques the surgeon's access to the approximation site is greatly reduced. Commonly, a surgical device will attach the suture material to the tissue. The surgeon will remotely form a knot in the suture material and advance the knot to the area of interest with a “knot pusher,” thereby approximating the tissue.
Many surgical instruments include a working end or effector, such as a clamp, scissors, forceps, needle holder, graspers, pusher, etc. that is connected to a central shaft. Distal from the working end is typically a handle for grasping and manipulating the instrument. In many instances, the handle includes an actuating mechanism that is linked to and that actuates the working end or effector.
These devices permit an operator to push suture knots which have been formed extracorporeally towards tissue to be sutured. With respect to the aforementioned devices, it is desirable to have a system capable of intracorporeally positioning and applying a suture knot to an area of interest. Additionally, it is desirable to have a knot pushing system wherein the operator may cut and remove surplus suture material using the knot pushing device.
Many surgical instruments include a working end or effector, such as a knot pusher, suture holder, clamp, scissors, forceps, needle holder, graspers, etc. that is connected to a central shaft. Distal from the working end is typically a handle for grasping and manipulating the instrument. In many instances, the handle includes an actuating mechanism that is linked to and that actuates the working end or effector. At the distal end, the handle includes a linkage that can be manipulated by a user to actuate the end-effector.